As the world slowly opens up again, you want to shake off some of that lockdown laziness and start working out again. Why not get into obstacle course racing? Let us tell you the benefits of OCR training vs regular gym training.
There are a ton of gyms around, which are great to keep you in shape of course – but it could get repetitive, maybe even boring. Your body could start feeling burnt out. How about a new challenge? Shock your body while getting stronger and fitter with obstacle course racing. The new sport on the scene that combines cardiovascular and strength-based exercises. If you have been regular with your gym training, then that has already provided a solid foundation for a total-body workout such as obstacle course racing.
At OCR Park, we have specific fitness programs in place for beginners, regular gym-goers as well as professional athletes. We provide fitness group classes 4 times a day and have fitness stations before each of our 8 adult obstacles to get you ready and pumped to conquer the obstacles. OCR Park currently offers 2 functional classes:
OCR Starter
The perfect class designed to help you learn the ropes (pun intended) that is OCR Park. What you will come across is a 60-minute class built to cater to people of all fitness levels. It is low to medium intensity, focusing on getting the basic movements and technique correct. The class is aimed to provide you with time, allowing our trainers to push you according to your own personal fitness levels.
OCR Finisher
This class delivers all 5 pillars of OCR, which are grip strength, cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, core strength and muscular endurance.
This 60-minute class will test your fitness and strength abilities in a non-stop military style, to ensure we get maximum effort and you get maximum results. You will laugh now and cry after as you make your way through the 4 sections of the gruelling OCR Finisher workout.
Obstacle course training is mostly completed outdoors which gives you a chance to move freely, breathe in fresh air and get your daily dose of Vitamin D from the sun. Gyms are almost always too crowded, the temperature is always either too cold or too warm, you’re always breathing in the smells of body odour and air freshener, and there’s always some waiting time involved in order to use the equipment. Being outdoors, at OCR Park have none of these issues, as our park features a 1.3 kilometers obstacle track for adults, giving you an opportunity to train outside in the elements. Jogging on sand is great for the knees and joints and provides a more natural approach to training.
Benefits of OCR Training
You’ll meet new, likeminded people. It is especially hard for expats to find people with similar interests here in the UAE, so OCR training will surely help you get acquainted with the OCR community. Come on over to OCR Park, where you will be able to make new friends.
OCR Park is also a perfect place to train for obstacle course racing events such as Tough Mudder and Spartan. These events happen a few times every year and you do not want to attend them unprepared. Again, there is a limit to how you can train specifically for these type of events at a regular gym.
Training at an obstacle course can improve your mental health as well. We think it is safe to say that almost everyone’s mental health has been impacted to some level since the since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. OCR training is great way to forget about the stresses and strains of the day. Whether you want to smash a few obstacles or you want to sweat it out at one of our group OCR fitness classes, it will help you de-stress and benefit from the feel-good hormones.
Now would you look at the time? It’s none other than OCR Training time! Come on over and let’s do whatever it takes!
